Electrical submersible pumps (ESP) are normally installed on jointed production tubing and powered by an ESP cable attached to the outside of production tubing. All produced fluids are pumped up the production tubing to the surface.
Oil well completions are being developed to deploy ESPs on the bottom of continuous coiled tubing where the power cable is placed inside the coiled tubing. In these installations, produced fluids are pumped up the annulus between the coiled tubing and the production tubing, or well casing or liner. Many advantages are gained through the use of coiled tubing such as faster deployment, the elimination of a need for large workover rigs, and less frictional pumping losses.
Because an ESP cable cannot support its total vertical weight, cable support must be provided by the coiled tubing at regular intervals. Various proposals have been made to provide support, such as the use of dimpling and welding of the coil tubing after pulling the ESP cable through the tubing; however, improvements would be desirable.